Ok so this granola is not to be confused with the Coconut Butter Granola. Yikes! I can see how that would be confusing. I told you I was on a granola kick. I wasn’t kidding. I have learned however that all granola is not created equal. There was one that I tried that I did NOT like. So I moved along and kept experimenting. The most important things to me when looking/making/creating a granola recipe is that it not only tastes great but also that doesn’t have any refined sugars. This recipe I slightly adapted to omit the brown sugar, you are welcome if you chose to check out the original recipe :) This is awesome as a parfait with plain yogurt and banana… YUM!
Source: Slightly adapted from Baking Bites
3 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup plain all-natural, no sugar added applesauce
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups shredded coconut
1 cup sliced almonds
1 c. dried cranberries
Preheat the oven to 325 and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, combine oats and spices. In a medium bowl, whisk together applesauce (not chunky), maple syrup, and vanilla. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients along with shredded coconut and almonds and stir to combine. Spread on prepared baking sheet in an even layer. Bake for 30 minutes, then turn over the granola carefully using a large wide spatula, and bake for additional 15 minutes, until crisp and golden.
[My 2 Cents]
I ended up having to cook this a little longer than the recommended time just because that’s how long it took for it to brown and crisp up. Watch yours carefully and leave in as long as you need to without overcooking it. Store in an airtight container for 1-2 weeks.
